🏆 Battles To Watch
Some of the key matchups that could decide the Finals…

✍️ Numbers to Remember
A few stats to jot down while you’re watching Mavs-Celtics…

🧐 Finals X-Factors
The real difference-makers who could swing the series…

🏀 Enjoy x FanDuel 🏀

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Two young superstars searching for their first title, an all-time great facing off against his former squad, and they’ve been the undisputed two best teams in basketball since the trade deadline?

This Finals is the perfect blend of intriguing narratives and excellent hoops that we’ve been waiting for, the only thing left to see is who actually comes out on top. Let’s take a look at some of the players, matchups, and numbers that could decide that very question.

Battles to Watch

Containing Basketball’s Best Backcourt

After this Finals run, there’s really no argument for anyone other than Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving as the best backcourt in basketball. One is an insane contested shotmaker with the best vision of any player not named Jokic, the other just has the greatest handles in NBA history no big deal. Add that up and you get a pair that is practically unguardable in 1-on-1 settings.

But, if any duo can slow them down it would have to be Jrue Holiday and Derrick White. If Boston’s two elite perimeter defenders can hold their own in iso, this series could be over sooner rather than later.

Shutting Down Shooters

If you’ve watched even a single quarter of Celtics basketball this season you’ll notice they shoot threes… like a lot of them. From Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown all the way down to the end of the bench, every player in Boston’s playoff rotation is liable to let one fly from long range at any given moment.

This prevents an interesting dilemma for Dallas, who have found a lot of their defensive success this postseason by packing the paint around Daniel Gafford and Derek Lively. Against such a potent perimeter attack, the Mavs might have to switch things up and play more aggressively if they want the W.

Numbers to Remember

🎯14.6: The number of three-pointers the Celtics are making per game in the playoffs, the most of any team to ever make the NBA finals. For the Mavs, holding them under this number would be huge, as Boston went just 10-9 during the regular season when making 14 or fewer threes.

🏆1: The number of championships won by a 5th seed or lower in NBA history. Only the 1994-95 Houston Rockets have won an NBA championship without ever having homecourt advantage, and even they were coming off a title the year before. A Mavericks title would be a historic moment for NBA underdogs, and one that goes against decades of historical precedent.

💪7-1: The Mavs record in the playoffs this season when they score more points in the paint than their opponent. Thanks to the insane gravity Luka and Kyrie generate, pick-and-roll actions with Gafford and Lively have been practically automatic at times recently. If they can get these connections going, it might be a rough series for the Celtics defensively.

The Celtics X-Factor: Kristaps Porzingis

Kristaps Porzingis has missed almost the entirety of the Celtics playoff run, and now he’s being tossed right into the deep end on the biggest stage. One of Boston’s big offseason acquisitions last summer, the former Maverick’s unique skillset will make him a critical linchpin on both ends in a series of fine margins.

On a rate basis, Kristaps was one of the best shot-blockers in basketball this season, and his rim protection will be essential to breaking up the Mav’s myriad of elite PnR options, especially since the Celtics don’t really have another big like him on the roster. And when Boston has the ball, his ability to space the floor will be huge for dragging Gafford and Lively out of the paint to open up the floor for others.

The Mavs X-Factor: Luka Doncic

The Maverick’s success starts and ends with Luka, simple as that. Whether it’s a stepback three from another zip code, a crafty midrange finish out of a phone both, or whipping the ball past a defenders head to an open shooter, a vast part of Dallas’ system is some form of “Come on Luka, do something…”.

The Slovenian Superstar has lived up to every challenge thrown his way so far this year, but he’ll need to once again be at his very best in order to defeat this Celtics juggernaut.

🧠 Daily Trivia 🧠 

☠️ The grind never stops for KD
Practicing the jab step at the club is INSANE

🥳 Congrats Boogie! 
DeMarcus Cousins is getting buckets (and rings) out in Taiwan

😤 A'Ja is a BEAST
Could she make it three MVPs in four years?

What We’re Enjoying

Soft by Lucky Daye: One of the biggest names in R&B over the past few years, Lucky Daye just never seems to miss when it comes to making infectious vibey tracks. On his newest single Soft he comes through with an earworm of a baseline and a chorus that makes you feel like staring longingly out over a landscape of rolling grassy hills blowing in the wind. Check out this sweet live version below.

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